5. Boeing F-18 Fighter — 1,575 in service. Has seen several modernizations over its production lifespan.

6. Lockheed Martin C-130/L-100 Transport Aircraft – 1,143 in service. Workhorse military transport first introduced to the US military in the 1950s. 549 in use by the US military. Flown by 64 other nations around the globe.

7. Boeing AH-64 Helicopter – 1,083 in service. The famous Apache attack helicopter has seen several modernizations since its introduction in the mid-1980s. The US Army operates 756 helicopters, with 11 other nations operating the craft.

9. Boeing CH-47 Transport Helicopter – 882 in service, 534 of them by the US army, many of the rest by NATO countries.10. The Sukhoi Su-27/30 Fighter Aircraft — 874 in service, 326 in the Russian air force and navy.

5. Boeing F-18 Fighter — 1,575 in service. Has seen several modernizations over its production lifespan.

6. Lockheed Martin C-130/L-100 Transport Aircraft – 1,143 in service. Workhorse military transport first introduced to the US military in the 1950s. 549 in use by the US military. Flown by 64 other nations around the globe.

7. Boeing AH-64 Helicopter – 1,083 in service. The famous Apache attack helicopter has seen several modernizations since its introduction in the mid-1980s. The US Army operates 756 helicopters, with 11 other nations operating the craft.

9. Boeing CH-47 Transport Helicopter – 882 in service, 534 of them by the US army, many of the rest by NATO countries.10. The Sukhoi Su-27/30 Fighter Aircraft — 874 in service, 326 in the Russian air force and navy.

Russian air forces to take delivery of more than 150 aircraft and helicopters in 2015Russian Aviaton » Tuesday January 20, 2015 18:22 MSK

Russian air forces will put into service the latest aircraft and helicopters in 2015, Interfax reports with reference to the representative of the press-service of Russian Ministry of Defense on Air Forces, Colonel Igor Klimov.

“Under the State Defense Order for 2015 more than 150 state-of-the-art aircraft and helicopters will be delivered to the military units,” Klimov said. The colonel noted that the following aircraft are being delivered to the air forces: Su-30SM, Su-30M2, MiG-29SMT, Su-34 bombers, Su-35S multi-role fighters, Yak-130 operational trainers, An-148 and Il-76-MD90 transport aircraft. Ka-52 Alligator, Mi-28N Night Hunter, Mi-8AMTSh (MTV-5-1), Mi-8MTPR, Mi-35M, Mi-26, Ka-226 and Ansat-U helicopters will be delivered to the army aviation.

Moreover, according to Klimov, the air forces will also take delivery of the latest Nebo-M, Gamma, Sopka radar systems; Podlet low-altitude radar stations; S-400 and Pantsir-S air defense systems. In addition, over 30 new trainers for specialists of air defense forces and flight simulators for training centers located in Torzhok, Ryazan, Syzran, etc. will be delivered.

In 2015 military units of the air forces will take part in “Union Shield 2015” and «Boevoye Sodruzhestvo-2015» maneuvers.

There's an erroneous and unsubstantiated rumor going around the internet that Dmitry Rogozin fired Mikhail Pogosyan as the head of UAC, and has named Russia’s Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Yury Slusar as president, in actuality Pogosyan resigned and his contract was up in February. In reality Pogosyan is a better scientific mind than a marketing mind so I hope he heads more projects pretty soon. I don't know enough about Slusar to make a comment about him, whatever changes he makes better be for the better:

Specialists of Akhtubinsk State Proving Flying Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense will carry out testing of A-100 “Premier” AWACS aircraft in 2015, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the representative of the press-service of Russian Ministry of Defense on Air Forces, Colonel Igor Klimov.

“The most important vehicles to be tested in 2015 are: PAK FA, MiG-29 K/KUB developed for Russian navy, MiG-35, Il-112, Tu-142MRM, Il-22M, Il-114R, A-100, Tu-214R, Ka-60 and Mi-28NM helicopters as well as other weapons,” Klimov said.

A-100 “Premier” is the Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft derived from Il-76MD-90A powered by PS-90A-76 engines. The jet will be fitted with active phased antenna array. The first aircraft of the type should be delivered to Russian air forces in 2016. On November 21st 2014 Beriev Aircraft Company took delivery of the first Il-76MD-90A jet and started converting it into A-100 AWACS aircraft.

“In 2014 Chkalov State Flight Test Center carried out 132 tests (85 of them were flight tests). The specialists participated in testing of new, upgraded and advanced aircraft, for example, they took part in testing of PAK FA fighter carried out in Akhtubinsk,” Klimov added.

The Russian government is set to procure 14 Ilyushin Il-96s over the next 10 years, thereby ensuring continued production of the four-engined airliner. Eleven will be for the ministry of defense (MoD), including conversions into command and control or aerial refueling aircraft. Three or four will be rebuilds of used Il-96-400T freighters, and the rest will be new production.

The VASO factory in Voronezh has already completed an Ilyushin Il-96-400VPU aerial command and control aircraft for SN FSB, the special assignment department of the Federal Security Service. It is a rebuild of RA-96104, an Il-96-400T freighter built in 2011 and leased to Polyet Airlines by Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC). The latter repossessed it plus three similar aircraft after the airline ran into financial trouble. The worsening economic situation in the Russian airline industry (due to U.S./EU sanctions and the declining value of the rouble) made it unlikely that IFC could place these aircraft elsewhere. The aircraft resumed flying in November 2014 with a distinctive satellite communication antenna on the upper side of the rear fuselage while keeping remains of Polyet’s livery.

This month, the Russian defense ministry awarded United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) a contract for two Il-96-400TZ aircraft. The suffix Z indicates an aerial refueling role (Z for “zapravshik” meaning “tanker”). The MoD said that the new tankers shall be able to transfer 65 tons of jet fuel at a point 3,500 km from takeoff. They shall be equipped with containerized UPAZ-1 universal apparatus already in use on the Il-78/78M, these being the current standard air tankers of the Russian air force. The larger and longer-range Il-96-400TZs would primarily serve Russian strategic bombers on long-endurance missions hour patrols well beyond national borders.

VASO general manager Sergei Urasov told Russian journalists that two Il-96-400s are destined for the air detachment serving the president of Russia. This already operates four Il-96-300PU aircraft and awaits a fifth late this year. The Il-96-300 version with maximum takeoff weight of 240 to 250 tons preceded the Il-96-400 stretch whose mtow is boosted to 270 tons, and the range to more than 12,000 km.

Meantime, sources in the Russian airline industry indicate that most of the Il-96s previously operated by Aeroflot and other commercial airlines are likely to make their way into Russian government service. Airframes unworthy of a factory rebuild will be dismantled for parts to support operational aircraft.

The only possible exception to this rule would be a couple of ex-Aeroflot jets that might find their way to Cubana, the only foreign operator of the type. On December 24, the intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and scientific-research cooperation between Russia and Cuba signed a preliminary contract between IFC and Aviaimport S.A., to place an Il-96-300 with the Cuban national carrier. Delivery is due in this year's second quarter, and will increase Cubana’s fleet to six aircraft.

Yak-152 light trainer aircraft developed for Russian Ministry of Defense should perform its maiden flight in autumn, TASS reports with reference to Deputy Director General on Flight Testing of Yakovlev design bureau, Hero of Russia, Roman Taskaev.

“We plan that Yak-152 will perform its maiden flight in September or October 2015. Irkutsk Aviation Plant has already started production of the aircraft’s components. Ramenskoe-based design bureau is developing aircraft control system and working on adjustment of algorithms,” Taskaev said.

He reminded that in late 2014 the mockup committee made its comments on the project. At present designers are working on eliminating the faults noted in the comments and making changes in the documentation.

“After the first flights we hope to move the jet to Zhukovsky-based Gromov Flight Research Institute. There we will prepare the vehicle for state testing, which will be started in 2016,” he added.

In 2014 Yakovlev design bureau won the tender for development of Yak-152 aircraft for Russian Ministry of Defense; the project is designated “Ptichka-VVS”. The value of this contract is 300 million rubles.

It is expected that the new aircraft will be powered by a piston diesel engine. This aircraft will help cadets learn to pilot the Yak-130 jet quicker and easier, after that they will start piloting combat jets. It was reported earlier that Yak-152 should perform its maiden flight in 2015. The vehicle should be put into service not later than November 25th 2016.

They will be based on TV7-117V engines which already have ~2700 shp standard as continuose power with 3750 shp emergency OEI (one engine inoperable) for 30 sec.

They are already now designated to be replacement for Mi-35M,Mi-28NM,Ka-52 as soon as they decide to upgrade from the current VK-2500-02 and the newest build have already VK-2500PS engines with with 2500 shp nominal, the VK-2500-02 have 2400.

The new military transport helicopter, which is to replace the famous Mi-8, will be created by 2018, said Thursday RIA Novosti source in the Russian military-industrial complex."The first prototype of the average long-term transport and assault helicopters will be created in two or three years. In fact it is - deep processing of the famous Mi-8" - a spokesman said.When creating a new helicopter that size would be "slightly larger than the Mi-8", "as the concept of the sample was selected Mi-35M".According to the source, the new machine will have a higher flight performance, greater efficiency, capacity, flight range. The helicopter is planned to install avionics domestic production."It will be a brand new helicopter with modern on-board electronics. It will be placed in a protected form - get airborne defense, that is, individual protection of the aircraft from its defeat all types of weapons", - told the agency.

Werewolf wrote:Most certainly and maybe even with stubbed wings like on Mi-24 for extra lift which translates in better speeds.

...BTW does anyone find it funny that Sikorsky is turning in to a Kamov clone as of late with their designs?

No, but what i find funny are the american fanboys on internet, calling everything that russia makes a clone of UH-60, AH-1,AH-64 but are know even so cocky to claim that such prototypes as S-97/X-2 are somehow innovative and superior, without knowing anything about rotor arrangement or that such stiff plastic rotors like S-97 uses are horrible for any battlefield where even 7.62mm rounds fly around but are always the first one to claim Ka-50/52 will be shot down with one single round to the rotor...that i find really funny.

Werewolf wrote:Most certainly and maybe even with stubbed wings like on Mi-24 for extra lift which translates in better speeds.

...BTW does anyone find it funny that Sikorsky is turning in to a Kamov clone as of late with their designs?

No, but what i find funny are the american fanboys on internet, calling everything that russia makes a clone of UH-60, AH-1,AH-64 but are know even so cocky to claim that such prototypes as S-97/X-2 are somehow innovative and superior, without knowing anything about rotor arrangement or that such stiff plastic rotors like S-97 uses are horrible for any battlefield where even 7.62mm rounds fly around but are always the first one to claim Ka-50/52 will be shot down with one single round to the rotor...that i find really funny.

This is starting to look just like the smoothbore, autoloader, GLATGM debate were NATO-Stronk trolls were claiming they were terrible ideas, only for them to be eventually adopted by NATO military's; and now their claims against the co-axial rotors are now falling by the wayside. Funny you should bring up the fact that 7.62mm bullets will be flying around, seeing how DOD/Pentagon's lack of demand for BP glass for their Apaches leaves their cockpits vulnerable to that very caliber, and it's likely the S-97 will have the same problem (if there's no demand).

However the biggest irony, the one that takes the cake is that the guy who founded Sikorsky helicopters was in fact a citizen of the Russian empire lmao!!!